A Passage to India by E. M. Forster summary

 

Part I - Mosque

The action is set in Chandrapore, a fictional city in India several decades before the end of British Rule. In the opening scene, Dr. Aziz is involved in a discussion with his friends Hamidullah and Mahmoud Ali regarding whether or not it is possible for an Indian to be friends with an Englishman. Mahmoud Ali felt that there could be no friendship possible between the Englishmen and the Indians. Hamidullah, however, felt that the Englishmen were not as bad as they were taken to be. He had been to England and could recall the fine treatment he had got from Mr. and Mrs. Bannister. Aziz joined them in the conversation and suggested that discussion on friendship between the Indians and the Englishmen was futile, as good Englishmen in India were exceptions. Later on they all agreed that the Englishmen who came to India for the first time were kind and gentle but within a year or two they turned into rigid and haughty bureaucrats.

Mahmoud Ali went out on an urgent errand. On his departure, Hamidullah took Aziz inside the house to see his Begum who was also Aziz's relation. She enquired about his domestic affairs. Aziz told her that he had married twice and after the death of his wives his three children were living with their grandmother. To avoid further questions he told her that he might marry sometime in the future.

While dining with Hamidullah, Aziz received summons from the Civil Surgeon, Major Callendar to meet him immediately. Aziz resented the call but on the advice of Hamidullah he decided to go at once. At the Major's bungalow, Aziz was humiliated to find that Major Callendar had left for the club without leaving any message for him. He felt further insulted when the servant told him that Callendar had muttered "Damne Aziz" before leaving for the club. Aziz was more humiliated when Mrs. Callendar and her friend Mrs. Lesley drove away in his tonga without taking his permission.

 

After his humiliation, Aziz went to the mosque to seek solace. At the mosque he was lost in a reverie but his reverie was disturbed by an English Lady. He shouted at her to take off her shoes and not to defile the holy place. He apologised to her when he learnt that she had already done so. He was pleased to find that this Lady was different from some of the other English ladies. He became friendly with her. He discovered that this lady, Mrs. Moore had just arrived from England. She was the mother of the city Magistrate, Ronny Heaslop. Very soon the two became good friends. They were surprised to find that they had many things in common. Mrs. Moore had married twice and was the mother of three children. She had lost both her husbands and was a widow now. Aziz too, had married twice, lost both his wives and was a widower now with three children. Aziz felt better after having come across such a gentle and kind soul. He escorted Mrs. Moore to the club.

Mrs. Moore's son, City Magistrate Ronny Heaslop, quickly learns of his mother's meeting with the Indian doctor. He instructs her not to mention the incident to his fiancee, Miss Adela Quested, because he does not want her wondering whether the natives are treated properly "and all that sort of nonsense."

Meanwhile, Adela, who travelled all the way from England to decide whether or not she will marry Ronny, expresses her desire to see the real India. The Collector, Mr. Turton, makes plans to arrange a Bridge Party a party to bridge the gulf between East and West. But the event is not a great success and Adela thinks her countrymen mad for inviting guests and then not receiving them amiably. Thus, the party turned to be a miserable affair, as the Indians retreated to the one side of the lawn. One of the few officials who does make a genuine effort to make the party work is Mr. Fielding, the Principal of the Government College. He hosts a gathering of his own a couple of days later, and it is then that Dr. Aziz first meets Adela and invites her and Mrs. Moore to visit the nearby Marabar Caves. It is also on this afternoon that a friendship begins to develop between Aziz and Fielding.

 

Part II—Caves

The day of the visit to the Marabar Caves arrives and, except for the absence of Fielding and his assistant, Professor Godbole, who miss the early morning train, the expedition begins successfully. An elephant transports the party into the hills and a picnic breakfast awaits Aziz's guests when they reach their goal near the caves. However, things begin to change when they visit the first cave. Mrs. Moore nearly faints when she feels herself suffocated in the dark and loses sight of Adela and Dr. Aziz. She feels something strike her face and hears a terrifying echo.

Meanwhile, Aziz and Adela are en route to visit more of the caves. Preoccupied by thoughts of her marriage and by the disturbing realization that she and Ronny do not love each other, Adela unintentionally disturbs her host by asking an ill-thought question. Aziz is momentarily annoyed and slips into one of the caves "to recover his balance." Adela loses sight of him and also enters one of the caves. When Aziz reappears, he catches a glimpse of Adela running down the hill towards an approaching car. Aziz returns to the camp and learns that Adela has unexpectedly driven away. The remaining members of the expedition take the train back to Chandrapore. Upon their return, Dr. Aziz is arrested and charged with making insulting advances and attacks to Miss Quested in the Marabar Caves.

 

That evening, there is a meeting at the Club and Fielding stands alone against his countrymen by stating his belief that Aziz is innocent. Adela remains ill for several days, hovering "between common sense and hysteria" and, like Mrs. Moore, is plagued by the sound of the echo. She begins to have doubts about what happened in the cave and eventually tells Ronny that she may have made a mistake. Mrs. Moore too supports that Aziz is innocent but Ronny insists that the trial must proceed and sends his mother back to England. When Adela takes the stand, she feels herself returned to the Marabar Hills and finds the exact reply to all the questions put to her. However, she is unable to say for sure whether Aziz followed her into the cave; she could see herself in one of the caves, but could not locate Aziz. Finally she tells the court that she has made a mistake and that Dr. Aziz never followed her into the cave. The Superintendent withdraws the charges and Aziz is released "without one stain on his character."

After the trial, Adela receives the news of Mrs. Moore's death and can no longer bear Ronny's company. He eventually breaks off their engagement because marrying her would now ruin his career. Before her voyage back to England, Adela is subjected to one final adventure when her servant, Antony, attempts to blackmail her by claiming she was Fielding's mistress. By this time, Fielding, who believes that Adela should not suffer for her mistake, has managed to convince Aziz to renounce his right to monetary compensation.

 

Part III—Temple

Two years later, Dr. Aziz and Professor Godbole are both living in Mau, a town several hundred miles west of the Marabar Hills and which is currently in the midst of Hindu religious celebrations. Dr. Aziz has learned that Fielding, along with his wife and brother-in-law, will soon be stopping in Mau on business. Fielding had sent his old friend a letter explaining all the details about his wedding to Stella Moore, Mrs. Moore's daughter, but Aziz never read it. As a result, he still thinks that Fielding has married Adela. All misunderstandings are finally cleared up when they meet, but Aziz does not care who Fielding has married; his heart is now with his own people and he wishes no Englishman or Englishwoman to be his friend.

Later that day, Fielding and his wife borrow a boat in order to watch the religious procession. At the height of the ceremony, the two boats collide and all are thrown into the water. The accident erases all bitterness between Fielding and Aziz and the two go back "laughingly to their old relationship." A few days later, they go for a ride in the Mau jungles and Aziz gives Fielding a letter for Miss Quested in which he thanks her for her fine behavior two years back. They talk about politics and Aziz foresees the day when India shall finally get rid of the English. Then, Aziz tells Fielding, "you and I shall be friends."